Watch-case



(No Model.)

W. H. FITZ GERALD.

WATCH CASE. No. 327,078. Patented Sept. 29, 1885.

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WALTER H. FITZ GERALD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WATCH-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,078, dated September 29, 1885.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, W ALTER H. Frrz GER- ALD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vatch-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

rIhis invention relates to that class of watchcases in which a rim or annulus for receiving and holding the movement is detachably secured in that portion of the case commonly known as the center,77 and has forits object to provide a simple and efficient means for steadily and securely holding the rim within the center, and at the same time admitting of the rim being readily and easily removed from or fitted in the said center of the case. To such end I screwth read to any desired extent the interior of the centerand the perimeter of the rim, whereby the rim can be screwed in the center, so as to bring it in proper position within the same, where it will be effectively held by reason of such connection between the two members, and from which it can be detached by simply unscrewing it from the center. In this connection the movementholding rim can be provided with a shoulder or bearing, and the center with an annular seat on which the shoulder of the movementholding rim seats when the rim is in place within the center.

In the annexed drawings,Fignre l represents a hunting-watch case with the front closed. Fig. 2 shows a cross-section through the same with the front open, and illustrates the rim for holding the movement fitted and secured within the center in accordance with my invention. Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the rim, and Fig. 4t is a side view of the same. Fig. 5 represents a section taken transversely through the watch-case with the rim extending below or out from the back of the center and the lid screwed on the portion ofthe rim thus projecting from the back edge of the center. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section ofa part of Fig. 5.

Referring by letter to the several figures of the drawings, in which like letters denote-like parts, A indicates a watch-case, which can be of any ordinary or preferred constructionas, for example, the back B and the center C can be stamped up in one piece, as is common in a variety of stem-winding watches, or the back either hinged to the center or screwed on a screw-threaded portion ofthe same, asillustratedin Figs. 2 and 5. The rim D, consisting of an annular band adapted for holding` the movement, as usual, is screwthreaded upon and around its perimeter, and a portion of the interior of the center C is correspondingly screw-threaded, so that the rim can be screwed into the center. In Fig. 2 the line of screw-thread D upon the rim is formed adjacent to the back of the samethat is to say, it commences at the back or inner edge of the rim, and runs around and up the periphery of the same to a suitable eXtent-while the screw-thread on the interior of the center is formed adjacent to the back or inner side edge of the center. In this instance the back or inner edge of the rim, when the latter is screwed into the center` is iiush with the back edge of the center and an ordinary back screwed onto the center, which is externally screw-threaded for such purpose. In Figs. 5 and 6, however, the rim is screw-threaded for a greater portion ofthe width of its perimeter than the said rim in Fig. 2, and also so proportioned that when the rim is screwed well into the center a part of the screw-threaded portion of the rim shall project beyond the back edge of the center, therebyleaving exposedsuflicient ofthesc-rewthreaded part ofthe rim to admit of a lid, F, arranged between the back and the center, being screwed on the rim, by which means the rim while serving to hold the movement also serves as a means for holding a lid within the case. The rim is adapted to hold Ain place the bezel G, as usual, which latter can be snapped, screwed, or otherwise fastened on the rim, as may be preferred.

The movement-holding rim herein shown, having a screw-threaded portion at one end adapted to engage a screw-threaded portion of the center, has at or near its opposite end a bearing against a seat on the said center, for which purpose the rim is provided with an outer annular shoulder, H, which, when the rim is screwed down in place in the center, rests upon an inner annular seat, I, with which the center is provided near its front face or side; hence, when the rim is well down in the center, its shoulder or bearing H is drawn IOO substantially as described.

against the seat on the center and the rim thereby held firmly and securely in place.

I have herein shown both the rim and the center' screw-threaded adjacent to their respective back or inner edges, with the line of screw-thread ruiming to or nearly to the middle of the rim, but in place of such arrangement the same result can be obtained by screwthreading the rim and the center adjacent to the front edge ot' each of said members, and while the riin could be screw-threaded from nearly one edge to the other, yet it will in practice be found sui'iicient to screw-thread it near one edge only, the location of the thread on the rim being dependent on the-location ofthe screw-thread on the interior ofthe center. Where the screw-threaded connection between the rim and the center is near the top or front side ol' the center, the screw-threaded portion of the rim is at the top or front end ot' the rim, and in this connection the rim can at its opposite or back end have a bearing against a seat or shoulder formed on the case or center, it being evident that whether the screw-threaded connection between the movement-holding rim andthe center is at the back end ot' the rim and the bearing ofthe rim on the seat ot' the center at the front end of the rim, or whether the position of these parts is reversed-that is to say, the screw-threaded connection between the movement-holding rim and the center at the front end of the rim and the bearing ot' the rim-the mechanical result is the same, the effect being simply a seating in the center for the rim, which said seating can be provided for in any other suitable or analogous way.

Itis obvious that the operation of fitting the rim in the center or ot' removing it therefrom is exceedingly simple and easy, and that by reason ot' this screw-threaded connection between the center and the rim, the latter will be held securely in place against accidental detachment.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A watch-case provided with a movementholding rim screwed into the center ofthe case, substantially as described.

2. A watch-case center having at or near one of its edges an internally-threaded portion adapted to receive a threaded portion of a movement-holding rim, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a watch-case, et' an internally screw-threaded center with an eX- ternally screwthreaded movement holding rim adapted to be screwed in the said center,

4t. A watch -ease, in combination with a movement-holdingI ring, screwed in and projecting beyond the center. substantially as and i'or the purpose described.

5. The combination, in a watch-case, of an internally screw-threaded center with an eX- ternally screw -threaded movement -holding rim screwed in the said center with a part ol' its screw-threaded perimeter extending beyond the center to receive a lid, substantially as described.

6. The combination, in a watch-case, of an internally screw-threaded rim iitting in the center and extending` beyond the inner edge thereof, so as to expose a portion of its screwthreaded perimeter, and a lid screwed onto the exposed screw-threaded perimeter of the rim, substantially as described.

7. A watch-case center, in combination with a movementholding rim provided with a screw-threaded portion adapted to be connected with the case center and having a bearing against a seat on the said center, substantially as described.

8. A watch-case center, in combination with a movement -holding rim provided with a screw-threaded portion adapted to be connected at one end with the case-center and at its opposite end having a bearing on a seat on the watch-case center, substantially as described.

9. A movement-holding rim for a watchcase adapted to contain the movement and provided at one edge with a threaded port-ion adapted to be screwed into the center or body of the case and at the opposite edge adapted to bear on a seat formed in the case-center and to receive a detachable bezel or cover, substantially as described.

10. In astem setting and winding watch case, the case-center provided with aback having a screw or equivalent connection with the casecenter, in combination with a movement-holding rim provided with a screw-threaded portion adapted to be connected with the casecenter and a detachable bezel, substantially as described.

1l. A movement-holding rim for a watchcase provided at one edge with an externally threaded portion adapted to be screwed into an internally screw-threaded portion ofthe case-center and its opposite edge provided with a shoulder adapted to rest on a seat formed in the case-center, substantially as described.

12. A watch-case center having at one edge an internally-threaded portion adapted to receive a threaded portion on a movement-holding rim and an externally-threaded portion adapted to engage a threaded back or cover, said center being also provided with a seat adapted to receive a shoulder on the movement-holding rim, substantially as described.

13. A watch-case center having at one edge an internally-threaded portion adapted to receive a threaded portion on a movement-holding rim and at its opposite edge provided with a seat on which the movement-holding rim seats when the said rim is in place within the case-center, substantially as described.

YVALTER H. FlTZ GERALD.

Vitnesses:

W. W. ELLIOTT, GHAs. G. PAG-n.

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